Apparatus for manipulating billets and the like



Oct. 14, 1969 E. E. RHoADs 3,472,397

APPARATUS FOR MANIPULATING BILLETS AND THE LIKE Filed June 17, 1966 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 .INVENTOR Fig. EDWIN E. RHOADS ATTORNEYS 5- E. RHOADS Oct. 14, 1969 A APPARATUS FOR MANIPULATING BILLETS AND THE LIKE Filed June '17, 1966 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 n0 IIIIIIIIIIIIII I!!!III[III/IIIII'llIlllllIlll/lllr'lllql Fig.4 EDWIN E; RHOADS AworiNEYs Oct. 14, 1969 E. E. RHOADS 3,472,397

APPARATUS FOR MANIPULATING BILLETS AND THE LIKE Filed June 17, 1966 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR EDWIN E. RHoAusf ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,472,397 APPARATUS FOR MANIPULATING BILLETS AND THE LIKE Edwin Egbert Rhoatls, Cleveland, Ohio, assignor, by

mesne assignments, to Pettibone Mulliken 'Corporation, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Delaware Filed June 17, 1966, Ser. No. 558,448 Int. Cl. B253 11/00 U.S. Cl. 214--1 6 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Disclosed herein is an apparatus for manipulating elongated workpieces, such as billets. The apparatus includes an abutment on which a workpiece can be partially supported and from which the workpiece can be toppled to either of two opposite sides. A first support structure is provided for cooperating with the abutment for supporting the workpiece and is movable relative to the abutment to topple the workpiece toward a first side of the abutment. A workpiece shifting member is provided for toppling the workpiece to a second side of the abutment and for clamping the workpiece against a sloping support surface on the first side of the abutment.

The present invention relates to apparatus for manipulating relatively heavy workpieces, such as metal billets and the like, so that different surfaces of workpieces can be successively presented to a machine tool, for example, for working or inspecting the surfaces of the workpieces.

One known form of apparatus for axially turning metal billets is comprised of two cooperating work support structures, one of which supports the workpiece on a horizontal plane to present an upper face thereof for a machining operation or the like and the other of which structure supports the work on a sloping plane to cause the workpiece to tend to tumble or roll when supported thereby, the support structures having relative movements whereby a workpiece can be transferred from the horizontal support to the sloping support and then returned to the horizontal support structure resting on a side which faced downwardly on the sloping support whereby a fresh upper surface is presented for working. Power-operated clamp means is provided for engaging and clamping opposite sides of the workpiece to firmly position the same on the horizontal support during work operations thereon.

One prime object of the present invention is the provision of a new and improved apparatus of the type mentioned having clamping means for positioning the workpiece on the horizontal support structure and which is also operative to eject the workpiece laterally from the apparatus onto a conveyor or the like.

Another important object of the invention is the provision of a new and improved apparatus of the character mentioned in which the clamping means is effective to clamp a workpiece, which is rectangular in transverse section, to the inclined support structure, whereby a corner portion of the workpiece may be presented for a working operation as well as the fiat surfaces thereof.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description of a preferred form thereof, reference being made to the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a more or less schematic plan view of an apparatus embodying the invention and associated with a grinding machine for grinding surfaces of billets and the like supported by the apparatus to present different surfaces of the billets to the grinding wheel of the machine;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of one unit of the billet turning apparatus drawn on a larger scale;

FIG. 4 is a view of the unit of the apparatus in FIG. 3, a portion thereof being shown broken away;

FIG. 5 is an end view of the unit shown in FIG. 4, showing a portion broken away;

FIG. 6 is a plan view of the unit shown in FIG. 2 taken along line 6- 6 and on a larger scale;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary sectional view taken substantially along line 7-7 of FIG. 6;

FIGS. 8, 9, 10 and 11 are schematic views of the unit similarto that shown in FIG. 7 showing parts of the apparatus in difierent positions during the turning and ejecting of a billet.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a grinding machine G is indicated in broken lines having a grinding wheel W for grinding the surfaces of a billet B supported on a billet turning apparatus 15 embodying the invention and positioned alongside the grinding machine. A table type conveyor C is positioned at the forward end of the apparatus 11 to receive finished workpieces. It will be understood that the billet turning apparatus 15 could be employed with any other type machine or equipment for performing work on different surfaces of a billet or the like, particularly billets rectangular in transverse section. The turning apparatus 15 is comprised of two substantially identical units 16, 17 and for the sake of brevity only unit 16 is described in detail.

Referring to FIGS. 2 through 6, the unit 16 is comprised of a box-like frame 20 formed by two spaced vertically extending sides 21, 22 formed of steel plates cross braced by suitable bracing including cross members 23 and an end plate 24 welded thereto. The left-hand end, or the forward end of the frame 20, as viewed in FIGS. 2 and 7 has double wall sides at the forward or left-hand end portion formed by plates 25, 26 welded to the inside of plates 21, 22, respectively, and slightly spaced therefrom. The rearward section of the top of the frame 20 is closed by a plate 28 bolted thereto. In practice, appropriate openings, not shown, may be formed for access to various portions of the frame for maintenance and servicing thereof.

The frame 20 is supported on two parallel rails R1, R2 which are installed on the floor alongside the grinder G and the sides of the frame are notched or cut-away at 27 and 30 to receive the rails R1, R2 respectively. The frame 20 may be clamped to the rails by two cam type clamp members 31, 32 pivoted to the sides 21, 22 and which have cam surfaces adapted to be wedged beneath the heads of the rails to firmly clamp each end of the frame to the rails, as shown in dotted lines.

The forward end of the frame 20 has upwardly facing abutrnents 35 formed on the upper portions of the sides 21, 22 which are relatively narrow and which are defined by inclined surfaces 36, 3 7 at opposite sides thereof. The surfaces 36 are formed of the top edges of forwardly extending projections formed on the frame plates 21, 22, 25, 26, and the surfaces 37 are formed by the head portions of rail sections 49 having the webs 41 thereof received in the spaces between the plates 21, 25 and 22, 26, respectively, and which webs are bolted in place.

The upper ends of the rail sections 40 are cut to conform to the horizontal plane of the abutments 35.

The lower ends of the sloping surfaces 37 join oppositely sloping surfaces 43 which are formed by the heads of rail sections 44, respectively, which rail sections have their webs 45 received between the plates 21, 25, and 22, 26, respectively, and which webs are bolted in place as shown. The heads of the rails sections 40, 44 form wear surfaces of the adjoining sloping sides 37 and 43, which surfaceslie in two common planes at 90 to one another. Preferably, the sides 37 are about 60 to horizontal so that a billet resting on one side of the abutments 35 with its center of gravity overthe sloping surfaces 37 will tumble on'to these surfaces with the center of gravity of the billet to the right of a vertical plane therethrough, the purpose of which is made apparent hereinafter.

Two L-shaped billet supporting arms 46, 47 are pivoted on the plate 21, 25, and 22, 26 by studs 50, 51 respectively, which are conveniently journaled in bushings in the plates. Each of the arms 46, 47 are formed by two identically shaped plates 52, 53 and 54, 55, respectively, and rail sections which have their webs 56, 57 received between the respective plates of the arms with the heads thereof forming billet supporting surfaces 60, 61. The forward (left-hand) ends of the rail heads extend beyond the respective rail webs and are turned upwardly at 90 to form lamp jaws 62, 63 at the outer or swinging ends of the arms 46, 47.

The downwardly extending portions of the arms 46, 47 are pivotly attached by pins 64, '65 to a clevis 66 attached to a piston rod 67 connected with a piston, not shown, adapted to reciprocate in a cylinder 68, one end of which is pivotly attached by a bracket 69 to the plate 24. The cylinder 68 may comprise a hydraulic or pneumatic motor controlled through suitable hosing and valve mechanisms, not shown, to cause the piston rod 67 to be reciprocated and rock the arms 46, 47 in unison about their pivot studs 50, 51 to raise the surfaces 60, 61 to a horizontal billet supporting position and to be lowered to an inclined plane coextensive with the planes of the surfaces 43.

By the construction thus far described a billet, rectangular in transverse section, such as that indicated at B, can be supported on the arms 46, 47 so that when the billet is against the stops 61, 62 and the arms 46, 47 are horizontal the left-hand edge of the billet, as viewed in FIGS. 3 and 7 will be in part supported by the abutments 35, and as the arms 46, 47 are lowered to at least in the plane of the surfaces 43, the billet will tilt clockwise and slide on the sloping surfaces 37 downwardly as indicated by the arrow in FIG. 11 until it rests against the surfaces 43 which appears in FIGS. 3 and 7. The arms 46, 47 may then be raised to elevate the billet to the horizontal position shown in FIG. 3 but in so doing the billet is now supported on the side which was at 90 to that on which it was formerly supported.

To clamp the billet in position on the surfaces 35 and arms 46, 47 a clamp arm 70 is pivotally supported on a shaft 71, the ends of which are journaled in suitable bearings formed in openings through the side plates 21, 25 and 22, 26. The clamp arm 71 is comprised of two bars 73, 74 which receive the web 75 of rail section, the head portion 76 thereof forming a wear surface. The rail section has a slightly forwardly inclined portion 77 formed adjacent the upper end thereof so that the clamp arm may apply force to a billet on the sloping surfaces 37 in a direction to clamp the billet to these surfaces, as is explained more fully hereinafter.

The clamp arm 70 is swung or actuated by a piston rod 79, one end of which is attached to the arm 70 by a pin and clevis 80 and the other end of which is connected with a piston which reciprocates in a cylinder 82, the rear end of which is pivotly supported to the plate 24 by a bracket 83. Conventional hose connections and valving, not shown, are appropriately connected with the cylinder 82 to control the flow of a fluid, such as air or hydraulic fluid from a suitable pneumatic or hydraulic power system, to effect operation of the piston in the cylinder. Pneumatic and hydraulic systems suitable for actuating the piston rods 67, 79 are well known and for sake of brevity are not further described.

It will be understood that the piston rods 67 and 79 of both units 16, 17 are operated in unison so that a billet supported at opposite end portions thereof by the two units is acted upon in concert to effect turning and manipulation thereof in the manner described hereinafter with reference to the elements comprising unit 16.

To prepare the apparatus for receiving a billet, the clamp arm 70 is retracted to the position shown in FIG. 7 and the arms 46, 47 are elevated to their horizontal support position by movement of the piston rod 67 outwardly of the cylinder 68. A billet B is then deposited on the arms 46 and extends transversely of the arms 46, 47 of both of the units 16, 17. Piston rod 79 is then forced from cylinder 82 so that the clamp arm 70 engages a side of the billet B and slides the billet laterally against the upright clamp lugs 62, 63 of the arms 46, 47 thereby firmly clamping the billet in position with the surface (a) thereof uppermost for grinding by the wheel W. When it is desired to turn the billet to present side (b), arm 70 is retracted and the arms 46, 47 are lowered, which removes the major support from the billet, thus destroying the stable equilibrium thereof so that it rolls or tumbles from the supports 35 onto the inclined surfaces 37, which causes the surface (d) of the billet to rest on the arms 46, 47 as seen in FIG. 8 and indicated by the broken-line arrow. Arms 46, 47 are then raised to their horizontal positions so that the surface (b) is then presented upright to the wheel W. Clamp arm 70 is then moved forwardly to clamp the billet between the jaws 63 and the upper end portion of the clamp arm. When the grinding operations have been completed on the billet, it is discharged or ejected laterally from the front of the apparatus onto the conveyor C merely by dropping the arms 46, 47 as shown in FIG. 9 to lower the clamp jaws 63 thereof below the horizontal surfaces 35 while retaining the clamp arm 70 in position to prevent the billet from toppling onto the sloping surfaces 37. When the clamp lug 63 has moved below the bottom surface of the billet B, arm 70 is driven counterclockwise to the position shown in FIG. 10 which topples the billet B down the forwardly sloping surfaces 36 and onto the conveyor C.

Should it be desired to dress the corner edges of a rectangular billet, this can be accomplished by withdrawing clamp arm 70 from the billet while maintaining arms 46, 47 horizontal and then gradually lowering the arms 46, 47 to permit the billet B to roll onto surface 37 so that corner (1) is uppermost as seen in FIG. 8. Arm 70 is then driven counterclockwise and the portion thereof below section 77 thereof engages the billet and slides it upwardly until the inclined portion 77 thereof engages the billet at which event the angle between the side of the billet engaged by the arm and the surface 77 is less than the angle of repose of the billet material which results in the billet being firmly clamped with the corner uppermost, as seen in FIG. 11. It is but routine design to form the surface of the arm 70 which engages the billet and to position the pivot for the arm so that the inclined surface 77 will clamp billets, of a given range of dimensions, to the sloping surfaces 3-7. By referring to FIG. 11, it will be seen that the angle (x), which is the angle between the two billet engaging surfaces 37 and 77, should be less than the angle of repose of the material forming the billet B. In a unit for handling billets of from 3" to 8" on a side, the angle (y) between section 77 and the arm 70 proper is about 17.

It will be apparent that I have provided a highly versatile billet manipulating apparatus by which billets can be quickly and easily turned about their longitudinal axis to present different surfaces thereof for machining or inspection and which includes clamping means for not only clamping the billet at position intervals but positions intermediate 90, and which clamping means also serves to eject the machined workpieces onto a conveyor or the like in an expeditious manner.

Iclaim:

1. Apparatus for manipulating elongated workpieces, such as billets and the like, and comprising means forming a relatively narrow upwardly facing abutment on which a workpiece may be partially supported so as to topple to either of two opposite sides of said abutment, a first support structure having a work supporting surface at one side of said abutment and adapted to cooperate with said abutment to support a workpiece in a substantially horizontal plane, a second support structure having a workpiece supporting surface at said one side of said abutment and lying in a sloping plane, the last mentioned surface being disposed to receive a workpiece toppled to said one side of said abutment and to support said workpiece on a sloping plane, means for efiecting relative vertical movements of said first and second support structures to shift a workpiece from one of said support structures to the other, a reciprocable member movable from a point at one side of a vertical plane at one of said sides of said abutment toward said plane to engage the side of a workpiece supported on said abutment and move the workpiece to topple it from said abutment to the other side of said abutment, said reciprocable member comprising an upwardly extending arm pivoted for swinging movement about an axis disposed below the supporting surface of the second supporting structure and extending transversely of said sloping plane, the upper end of said arm projecting above said abutment and being engageable with the workpiece when the reciprocable member is swung toward said abutment, and power means to move said member.

2. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 in which said arm has an upper portion thereof inclined relative to the portion therebelow towards said sloping plane to engage a workpiece supported on said second support'structure and clamp said workpiece to said sloping surface of said second support structure.

3. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 further characterized by the provision of a laterally extending abutment on the upper end of said arm and toward which the reciprocable member is movable, said abutment on the upper end of said arm constituting a stop to limit the movement of a workpiece supported by said arm.

4. An apparatus for aligning elongated workpieces such as billets and the like, said apparatus comprising means forming a relatively narrow abutment upon which a workpiece may be at least partially supported with one surface upwardly so as to topple to either of two sides of said abutment, a sloping support surface positioned on a first side of said abutment, means for selectively toppling the workpiece toward said first side from said abutment to move the workpiece along said sloping support surface to an orientation wherein another surface of the workpiece adjacent to said one surface is positioned upwardly, a workpiece shifting member movable toward and away from said abutment for selectively clamping the workpiece against said sloping support surface to thereby position the workpiece in an orientation with a portion of the workpiece between said surfaces of the workpiece upwardly, said workpiece shifting member being movable toward said abutment when the workpiece is at least partially supported on said abutment to topple the workpiece from said abutment toward said second side, and power means for selectively moving said workpiece shifting member.

5. An apparatus as defined in claim 4 wherein said means for selectively toppling the workpiece toward said first side includes a support structure having a work supporting surface on said first side of said abutment and adapted to cooperate with said abutment to support the workpiece and means for effecting movement between said support structure and said sloping support surface to topple the workpiece toward said first side from said abutment.

6. An apparatus as defined in claim 4 wherein said workpiece shifting member includes a first and second workpiece engaging surfaces, said first. workpiece engaging surface being positioned to form an angle with said sloping support surface which is greater than an angle of repose of the workpiece to enable the workpiece to be moved upwardly along said sloping support surface by moving said workpiece shifting member toward said abutment, said second workpiece engaging surface being positioned to form an angle with said sloping support surface which is less than an angle of repose of the workpiece to enable the workpiece to be clamped between said workpiece shifting member and said sloping support surface to thereby provide said clamping of the workpiece with the portion of the workpiece between said surfaces of the workpiece upwardly.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,340,129 5/1920 Williams 19833 3,128,888 4/1964 Di Lella 214-1 3,182,815 5/1965 Di Lella et a1 214--1 GERALD M. FORLENZA, Primary Examiner F. E. WERNER, Assistant Examiner 

